1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to chlorodeoxysugar sweetening agent compositions stabilized in liquid medium. More particularly, this invention pertains to stabilized chlorodeoxysugar sweetening agent compositions which comprise a chlorodeoxysugar derivative and a non-aqueous stabilizing solvent wherein the stabilizing solvent is capable of forming a stabilizing mixture with the chlorodeoxysugar derivative. The stabilized sweetening agent compositions may be utilized in a wide variety of ingestible compositions. This invention also pertains to methods for preparing these stabilized sweetening agent compositions and the ingestible compositions in which they may be employed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Intense sweeteners are well known in the art and are widely used as substitutes for sugar in many low calorie or noncariogenic compositions. Intense sweeteners have a wide range of chemically distinct structures and hence possess varying properties. These intense sweetener compounds include water-soluble artificial sweeteners such as 1, 2-benzisothiazol-3(2H)-one 1, 1-dioxide (saccharin and its salts), cyclohexylsulfamic acid (cyclamate and its salts), and the potassium salt of 6-methyl-1,2,3-oxathiazin-4(3H)-one-2,2-dioxide (Acesulfame-K, a commercially available product from Hoechst Celanese Corporation, Somerville, N.J.), proteins such as thaumatin (Talin, a commercially available product of Tate & Lyle Products, Reading, United Kingdom), chlorodeoxysugar derivatives (such as Sucralose, a commercially available product of McNeil Specialty Products Company, Skillman, N.J.), and dipeptides such as N-L-alpha-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine 1-methyl ester (Aspartame, a commercially available product of the Nutrasweet Company, Deerfield, Ill.) and L-alpha-aspartyl-D-alanine N-(2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-3-thietanyl)amide (Alitame, a commercially available product of Pfizer, New York, N.Y.), and dihydrochalcones. Each of these sweetening agents has a distinct sweetening intensity greater than that of sucrose and this sweetening intensity is well documented. Because of its intense sweetness (600X sucrose), Sucralose is a useful substitute for sugar.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,435,440, issued to Hough et al. and assigned to Tate and Lyle plc, discloses sweetening agents which comprise chlorodeoxysugar derivatives.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,495,170, issued to Beytes et al. and assigned to Tate and Lyle plc, discloses synergistic sweetening compositions which comprise a mixture of a chlorodeoxysugar and another sweetening agent which has an associated bitter taste. The chlorodeoxysugars are selected from the group consisting of chlorodeoxysucroses and chlorodeoxygalactosucroses. The bitter tasting sweetening agent is selected from the group consisting of Saccharin, stevioside and Acesulfame-K.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 230,282, filed Aug. 9, 1988, to Cherukuri et al. and assigned to Warner-Lambert Company, discloses synergistic sweetening compositions which comprise Sucralose and Aspartame and Sucralose and Alitame. In general, the synergistic sweetening compositions comprise Sucralose and Aspartame, or Sucralose and Alitame, in a ratio by weight from about 65:35 to about 91.7:8.3, respectively.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 264,248, filed Oct. 28, 1988, to Cherukuri et al. and assigned to Warner-Lambert Company, discloses synergistic sweetening compositions which comprise Sucralose and Maltitol.
PCT patent application serial no WO 89/03182A, priority date Oct. 6, 1987, to & Lyle plc. discloses synergistic sweetening compositions which comprise Sucralose and a saccharide bulk sweetening agent selected from the group consisting of fructose, glucose, maltose, xylitol, mannitol, and sorbitol.
European Patent Application serial no. 267,809A2 discloses synergistic sweetening compositions which comprise Sucralose and maltodextrin.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,820,528, issued to Stroz et al. and assigned to Nabisco Brands, Inc., discloses a codried composition consisting essentially of about 99.9% to 90% saccharin and about 0.1% to about 10% of a halodeoxysugar, by weight.
United Kingdom patent application no. 2,197,575A, to and assigned to Tate & Lyle plc, discloses a codried composition consisting of from about 20% to about 80% Sucralose and a water-soluble oligosaccharide, by dry weight.
PCT patent application serial no. WO 89/08672A, priority date May 15, 1987, to Yatka et al., discloses a chewing gum composition having controlled sweetness wherein the gum contains an effective amount of Sucralose.
A problem with chlorodeoxysugar derivatives such as Sucralose is that such derivatives turn dark during storage. This color change for Sucralose occurs at the following rate:
______________________________________ Temperature Decomposition Time ______________________________________ 24.degree. C. 18-36 months 30.degree. C. 3 months 40.degree. C. 3 weeks 50.degree. C. 1 week ______________________________________
The color decomposition of Sucralose is believed to be initiated by exposure of Sucralose to heat and moisture during storage. Generally, decomposition begins slowly and then, once begun, the decomposition reaction accelerates rapidly.
McNeil Specialty Products Company specification sheet, dated 12/8/89, discloses a 25% aqueous Sucralose liquid concentrate, buffered to pH 4.4 with sodium citrate and citric acid, and preserved with sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate. The 25% aqueous Sucralose liquid concentrate is said to be stabilized.
European patent application no. 255,260 discloses a method for stabilizing Sucralose by reducing the size of the particle and limiting the particle size distribution.
United Kingdom patent application no. 2,169,601A, to Jackson and assigned to Tate & Lyle plc, discloses thermally stabilized Sucralose compositions which are prepared by co-crystallizing Sucralose with a nitrogenous base.
Thus, the above references disclose a variety of combinations of sweetening agents which have specific sweetness intensities compared to sucrose. None of the above references, however, disclose a satisfactory stabilized chlorodeoxysugar sweetening agent composition. Aqueous solutions of chlorodeoxysugar derivatives are not suitable for use in certain chewing gums, confectioneries, and other edible compositions because the added water content would modify the texture of the edible product making it sticky or tacky or stale. Furthermore, these aqueous solutions contain unnecessary buffers and preservatives Small particle size Sucralose is difficult to prepare and is only moderately stable during storage. Hence improved forms of stabilized chlorodeoxysugar derivatives are desirable. The present invention provides such stabilized chlorodeoxysugar sweetening agent compositions which can be stored for extended periods of time and can be processed at elevated temperatures. Because the stabilized chlorodeoxysugar sweetening agent compositions employ non-aqueous stabilizing solvents, the stabilized compositions are more suitable for use in anhydrous ingestible compositions and other compositions in which the presence of water is undesirable.